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The Celestine Empire
= The Celestine Empire = -- Taken from the December 2017 Rulebook, pages 25 & 26 -- —LIGHT AND LAW— The Celestine Empire sees itself as “the mirrored reflection of the heavens in the world.” It bases much of its culture, fashion, religion, and morality upon this belief. Celestines are a people who pull strength from their faith but are not blinded by it—or at least not to the point that they fail to see the importance of military strength and sound battle tactics. They do not force their religion on others, and though they may look down on other faiths, they do not persecute or condemn those who adhere to other religions. In the Celestine Empire, philosophy, the arts, and all forms of beauty are revered. Great marble statues of men and women—mostly soldiers, great thinkers, or people of cultural note—cover the cities, shrines, and the Celestine Arenas, where combat skill is tested and honed. Many a Celestine child grows up hearing tales of the famous heroes of the Celestine Empire: The Rose Knights. With their large and flamboyant feathered hats, thin swords, and famed bravado, they are dispatched within the Celestine Empire to maintain borders and to serve the common folk in any way they can. The Rose Knights are the most-beloved figures among the people of the Celestine Empire, and tales of their adventures, honorable nature, and mastery of the rapier continually inspire hope in the hearts of the downtrodden all throughout Adelrune. Controlling the most fertile soil anywhere within the Expanse, the Celestine Empire uses its strong agricultural base to expand and extend trade with many nations, resulting in a network of strong alliances. As such, their already formidable military can be backed by the armies of multiple nations, should they choose to call in old favors and sworn oaths. The Celestine Empire is ruled by a Queen, who is revered as a divine prophet. Her title is “Queen” rather than “Empress” partially in order to avoid any connection with the Empress of the Nadine Empire, the Shrike (who is universally viewed as one of the most wicked people alive), and partially to emphasize that the Celestine Empire has little desire to expand. Though the Celestine Queen enjoys the genuine adoration of her people, that adoration also comes with its own restrictions and costs. One such restriction is that she must never marry. Originally implemented to prevent the jealousy of rival nations, this practice has become more than a tactic for political survival: it has now taken on additional connotations of ‘purity through chastity.’ The Queen and all of her handmaidens forsake the embrace of men, following the principle that their spiritual clarity is obtained through abstinence. Because of this, the Queen is never unsupervised, and her maidens follow her wherever she goes. When the Queen has lived 36 years, she is veiled in lace and, with but the smallest number of servants, sails into the Mists, never to be seen or heard from again. After this ritual (or after an untimely death), faith and diligence yield a reward for the highest ranking of the queen’s maidens, who ascends to become Queen herself. In this way, rule is not inherited through bloodlines, but rather through merit and devotion. This consistent turnover also ensures that the Queen always appears beautiful and youthful. Considering that each Queen usually has many similarities in appearance with her predecessors, this continuity provides a mystique of immortality and etherealness. It also makes Celestine handmaidens the most sought-after women in the world, though they are unobtainable. The Celestine ruling class paints an image of chastity, purity, and all things typically labeled ‘good,’ but it should be noted that the kingdom is made up of people from all walks of life. There are merchants, beggars, and even bandits in the Celestine Empire. There is also, of course, an extremely large population of farmers and simple, good-natured country folk. POLITICAL OVERVIEW: THE CELESTINE EMPIRE Government Type: Feudal Theocratic (and Meritocratic) Matriarchy Allies: Ad Decimum, Mandala, Cole, andCastle Thorn Enemies: The Nadine Empire, the Drir, the Breach, and the Gael (historically, often engaged in war with the Gael) Welcomed Bloodlines: Human, Half-Celestial Persecuted Bloodlines: Half-Demon Crimes: Murder, Theft, Assault, Fraud, Forgery, Treason, Bribery, Practicing Dark Magic, Harassment, Enslavement, Depravity, Vandalism, Profane Imagery, Torture National Religion: The Celestine Faith EXAMPLE CHARACTER NAMES: MALE: Harmon, Mathieu, Pascal, Sevrin, Tavin, Telfour FEMALE: Aceline, Adrienne, Madeline, Maia, Veronique, Selene Names and surnames often draw inspiration from the (out-of-game) French, Greek, and Burgundian historical cultures. Some example surnames are: Avelonne, Morveau, and DuLath. Renowned Celestines * Artemis Flynn * General Tolon * Ser Antonia de la Rosa * Sir Arthur Roca * The Imperial Gryphon, Jeanette Mauplumé